The Hairpin of the Red Chamber

Sister Feng didn't know what mood she should be in.Although she knew that Wang Ren was unreliable, her mother always preferred her elder brother, and she also knew that most things were handled by herself, and it was only natural for her to be convicted, but she never thought that her situation and Wang Ren's situation were so different.

After the verdict came down, Mrs. Wang Ziteng and several sisters-in-law of Sister Feng were released one after another. Most of the servants were sold by the officials, and the rest were either exiled or released. In less than half a month, no Sister Feng was familiar with the prison anymore. people.

Sister Feng didn't know why she was the only one left, and she didn't know what would happen next. She just waited and hesitated anxiously. Everything she relied on in the past had disappeared, and she felt as if she had lost everything. A phoenix that has lost all its feathers, or a dying tiger, she has lost her sycamore, lost her lair, the former scenery is like an illusory dream, she is just a small child in this cold and damp prison cell from beginning to end. The little prisoner struggled like an ant, but he could not escape the fate of being swallowed by darkness.

Mrs. Wang Ziteng has not forgotten Sister Feng, but the Wang family has no money left to take care of her. All the help is just to invite these jailers to have a few drinks and dinners, so that they will not make further troubles. Mrs. Wang, Aunt Xue The things sent by people were confiscated by the prison. Probably the relatives were tired of such endless consumption. Sister Feng could receive less and less things in there, and she could hear less and less news. As if being forgotten, she stayed alone in a corner of the prison. There was no sun or moon in the prison. She could only count the days by drawing on the wall. At first, she didn't feel it. It started to get cold, and several prisoners who had no one to help died of illness in prison. Sister Feng relied on the few old clothes sent in by Aunt Xue. One of these dragged out guys.

However, compared to exile, she prefers to stay here, at least here is the capital she is familiar with, and there are relatives she knows outside.Sister Feng often wonders why no one has come to distribute her for a long time after her verdict has been handed down. She occasionally fantasizes whether someone in the family pities her, or where she has formed a good relationship in the past, and someone has opened up something. joints, so she was able to linger in the prison, but no matter what she thought, she couldn't remember that she had such a strong friendship with anyone, except Ping'er.

Sister Feng suddenly felt a little sad. She knew clearly from before that neither Mrs. Wang, nor Aunt Xue, nor even her own mother would love herself wholeheartedly and unreservedly. Although these people were her close relatives, Her heart towards her may not match Ping'er's meticulousness and sincerity, so she would rather entrust Ping'er with many life-threatening matters than let her mother know anything about them.She was willing to confide in Ping'er what was on her mind, but she never said a word to her mother and the others.But Ping'er, whom she trusted wholeheartedly, has never seen her since she was imprisoned, and never sent someone to send a word to her.Sister Feng first comforted herself, perhaps the prison is strictly guarded, and Ping'er is a civilian girl, so it is inconvenient to send things in. However, since the verdict was handed down, the guards in the prison have been slackened a lot, and the imprisoned slaves have been visited and redeemed one after another. However, Ping'er still has no news.

Sister Feng has always had confidence in Ping'er, but this confidence is all based on fame and power. Sister Feng clearly knows that as long as the power of the Wang family is still there, even if Ping'er is released, she will not be able to escape her grasp, but Once the fame and wealth are all gone, everything she relied on has long since dissipated. Ping'er doesn't need to do anything, she has already escaped from Sister Feng's control, and has become a truly good citizen, who has nothing to do with the Wang family.

Occasionally, Sister Feng would have extremely dirty thoughts, wishing that Ping'er would report all the things she had done for her, so that she would not be able to enjoy herself outside, and she would often wonder whether Ping'er had her private house in her hands. Tell the mother and brothers to let these people go to Ping'er to collect debts.

However, she did nothing in the end, and she was still alone in the prison, full of resentment, but she never wanted to involve Ping'er—it was definitely not because she still had a little love for Ping'er, she just, rare, The house is kind-hearted once.Sister Feng would never admit that, in her most selfish heart, she secretly had such a small hope in Ping'er. She counted on Ping'er because of their ten-year relationship, and because of the relationship between master and servant. In terms of love, in terms of... the intimacy of facing each other day and night, and being close to each other, I have to have a little pity for myself.

Fortunately, Sister Feng's hopes were not in vain. Before the cold weather became unbearable, the jailer took her to the prison god temple. There was a small table behind the statue in the temple. There was a person sitting by the table. In the light, Sister Feng also recognized at a glance that it was Ping'er who made her miss and feel uneasy. For a moment, she wanted to throw herself into Ping'er's arms and cry loudly, but in the end she just stopped suddenly and raised her face. With a cold snort, she said, "You're finally willing to come." She didn't know why she was so impulsive. She was able to temporarily restrain herself and compromise with the jailer and many other people in order to obtain the most beneficial result for herself. Ping'er, but she couldn't hold back her temper at all.

When Ping'er saw Sister Feng coming in, she had already stood up, her eyes were red, and when she heard Sister Feng's scolding, she just lowered her head slightly, held back her tears and said, "Miss... you have suffered."

Sister Feng was relieved to hear that she was still using the old address. She glanced at Ping'er and saw that she was haggard and thin. She glanced again and saw a few small dishes on the small table. There is meat and rice, all roasted in a small stove, exuding a deadly aroma from the heat.

Sister Feng unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva, moved her toes slightly, and was not ashamed to ask to eat, but Ping'er was considerate and said: "Young lady, are you hungry? Sit down and eat first." Waiting for Sister Feng to sit down, she skillfully clothed her Good bowls and chopsticks, and smiled to the jailer's mother-in-law: "I'm sorry to trouble you, I cut up a few catties of mutton, and I still have some shochu. If my aunt doesn't mind, why don't you drink the mutton with the wine to warm your body. "

The two women in charge of the prison heard that she wanted to speak for herself, so they smiled and said: "It won't be too long." The two of them went out together, drinking and eating in front of the statue, very comfortable.

Sister Feng heard those two eating and chewing, and then looked at the dishes in front of her, and became a little unhappy again: "Why do they have mutton and wine, and I only have these few dishes here?"

Ping'er smiled and poured her a bowl of chicken soup. The soup had been simmered for a long time, and the soup was thick and thick, as if the meat had melted. , staring straight at the bowl in Ping'er's hand, unable to move it away at all.

Ping'er said softly: "I'm afraid that the girl will not eat well in there, and suddenly she will feel sick to her stomach after eating a lot of meat. The girl will leave tomorrow, if she feels unwell at this time, I'm afraid it will be bad."

Sister Feng said in surprise, "We're leaving tomorrow, where are we going?"

Ping'er said: "Send it to Lingnan, let the prefecture and county handle it."

Sister Feng was startled, and then fixedly looked at Ping'er.She was born in an official family, so she naturally knew that most of the exiles in this dynasty were sent to the northern frontier to fill the army slaves. For example, Jia Zhen was sent to Liaodong to serve. Ping'er's identity may not be clear yet, so he sorted out the people he knew in his heart, and asked hesitantly: "My brother... Has he taken care of it for me?"

Ping'er hesitated for a while, then nodded, and said: "Although there is some miasma in Lingnan, it is much better than outside the Great Wall, and I am more familiar with it..."

Sister Feng keenly grasped the meaning of her words, raised her eyebrows and said, "You... accompany me?"

Ping'er said, "That's natural."

When Sister Feng saw that she had answered the question well, she was startled again, and even forgot to eat, she couldn't stop staring at Ping'er. The girl is brought out in the name of God, so she can't stay for long, the girl should take advantage of the meal first."

When Sister Feng heard about it, she picked up her chopsticks and took a sip of the chicken soup. This soup was simmered with ginseng. In the past, Sister Feng must have disliked the bitterness in the soup, but now she thinks it tastes sweet, even dragon liver and phoenix marrow.

Seeing that she was using it happily, Ping'er hurriedly served vegetables and rice beside her, and said in a hurry: "I brought an old cotton-padded coat, and some pills and broken silver. The girl wears the clothes close to the flesh, and collects the money by herself. Well, don't let them see it, these people don't see good things in their eyes, and if they see it, I'm afraid they will take it away." He took out a small bundle from the side, and took out a very finely sewn cotton padded jacket from inside , and lit two braziers on the ground. After Sister Feng had finished eating and the surroundings were already warm, Ping'er unfolded the cotton coat and said to Sister Feng, "I will help the girl change her clothes." She didn't mean anything when she said this, Sister Feng But she blushed for some reason, and then looked down at her body. Her good clothes were stripped off, and this body was still a rag that was given to her by the old lady Dong. I have worn a jacket for a long time, although the outside is dirty and torn, but the lining is even more unsightly than the outside.

Seeing her appearance, Sister Feng recalled that she had never bathed since she was imprisoned, her face turned from red to white, she pinched the corner of her clothes, and said after a while, "I... am not cold."